Two Plus Two Newer Archives - Trip Report: LA and Vegas (Very long. Part 1 of 4) [w/ cliff notes]

Trip Report LA to Vegas October 6 to October 15 (With lots of handz). This includes a time line of events. I hope you enjoy it. Cliff Notes are on the bottom.

Stats:
Hours of days for this trip (including travel days): 10
Hours of poker played: 47
Number of 2+2ers met/seen: 3
Number of poker rooms played in: 5

October 10:

I text to Joetall to see if he’s free. He offers late lunch, and I’m just sitting in my hotel room relaxing and watching ESPN broadcasts of the WSOP on Pokertube.

3:00PM to 5:00PM: Another free day before I have to retrieve the computer stuff. I got to meet Joetall at Mimi's Cafe for a late lunch. We got to talk a lot about poker, other good limit players, stupid debates on 2+2, Deucescracked, Boston sports teams (since San Francisco sports teams suck), Tommy Angelo and such. We have similar mindsets. Good times. I think we talked for almost two hours.

5:30PM to 12:00 Midnight: Arrive at Commerce and wanted to play 10/20 no-limit. Saw Bart Hanson of Live at the Bike and 2 final WSOP TV tables fame in a short 3-4 handed game. In the one hand I saw, old guy limped on button, Bart raised out of BB with K5o, old guy called. Flop J44 2 hearts, Bart continuation bets, old guy thinks for a moment and shoves for ~1K (I dunno), Bart (covers) hollywoods for a good 30 seconds and finally passes. Bart gets moved over to main game. African American guy moves to his spot and another player comes in, so it’s about 5 handed now. I buy in for 1k. I always buy in short or relatively short 50x or 100x. F the haters. I’m there to make money not make good impressions. Besides, invariably I have to play deep stacked down the line.

Hand 1: This is my 2nd hand at the table, and it's only 5-handed still. There’s a limp from a couple players including the African American to my right, and I’m [Stack = $980] in SB with KJo and I’m thinking “I should really raise this hand”, but fail to do so and only throw in $10. Flop K85 2 clubs. I fire $60, BB [Stack = $1500] doesn’t like $60; he likes $150, others scram, I think about the Bart Hanson hand for a little while and feel I’m ahead and then push. Now he thinks for a minute or so and the more he thinks the more comfortable I feel… sort of. He calls and the board fails to do anything significant. I lose to his K5o (ironic twist, eh?), and I’m a donkey.

Lesson learned: Raise your Goddamned hands and don’t be a coward.

I get moved to another table which is ho-hum. Some ok action. But then Jack arrives along with some African American gamble guy who everyone is salivating over. Jack is this really tall guy who sometimes wears a Motorola suit (walking ad?). He likes to buy in to cover the table. I learned a lot from this guy including how to induce gambling and creating an image of looseness that actually can disguise a TAG and prevent him from looking too nitty (not that he is, but it can work for me!).

For example:
(1) Jack convinces everyone to put in a straddle for several rounds.
(2) Jack convinces everyone at the table to put in $100 blind (on my button no less [img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]) and let the board run.

Hand 2: Straddle is on. There’s something like 4 limpers to me including African American [stack = ~$1000] on Button. I’m [stack = ~$840] SB with A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. I don’t like $40; I like $220. Everyone folds to button and he calls. Flop comes 644 with 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. Button tries to checks out of turn, but I didn’t do anything. I just bet $200 and he snap shoved, and I snap called. His 75o failed to improve. Ship it!

Hand 3: Straddle is on. 4 limpers to me on my straddle including BB. I [stack = ~$2000] have AJo no heart. I don’t like checking my straddle; I like $200 more. Weak loose passive MP calls [stack = ~$2000], African American [stack = ~$1400] most of the time passive post-flop Villain in hand 2 right above calls in SB. Flop comes Q53 one [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. Check around. J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] on turn. SB checks, I fire $500, MP calls, SB calls. Wow. River pairs the 3 with no flush. Check around. I show, MP mucks, SB shows T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. Ship it!

Despite losing two buy-ins early on, and one debacle of a fold that was already well documented in high stakes no-limit, I still manage to come a little in the black. God, do these high stakes no-limit posters ever let up? I think I know why I only post there every half a year, they're so cliquish and immature. I feel many of them are wanna-be high stakes gamblers, and many don't even want to put villain on a hand. Even when I admit a mistake, I get stoned. I mean, what's worse? Folding a possible chop for maybe $750 or needlessly throwing away your tournament life 4-betting a trash hand all-in with no fold equity where the top prize is $800,000. According to the clique, I believe it must be the former. Anyways, I'm ranting now...

I’m hungry as I haven’t eaten dinner, and I’m not done playing poker yet. Solution? Bicycle Casino.

To be continued... [Next up: mikel in action]

Cliff Notes: I played lots of poker in LA and Vegas making some mad loot playing mostly no-limit and some limit poker, while along the way, I help my cousin with some computer stuff for her company. I meet 3 2+2ers and watch a couple of shows in Vegas before driving home. Cirque du Soleil’s “K8” circus show at MGM, ok ** 1/2 of ****. Mamma Mia at Venetian, great: **** of ****.

I tried to get 2+2 meet ups, but hope to attract more. I think I’ll sweeten the deal next time.

Next up: After my actuarial exam in November 7th. Arizona. New York. Minnesota. Tunica. Any suggestions for the next trip?

Garland